This past summer (of 2004) the Tall Ships again visited Newport, RI. The U.S. Coast Gaurd barque "Eagle" led the parade. I don't remember the order. I've chosen to have the "Pride of Baltimore" second in line. This topsail schooner is built to the lines of an 1812 Baltimore Clipper. She is followed by the barque "Picton Castle" out of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia (a port famous for the fishing schooner "Bluenose")
Here's another view of the Pitcon Castle inbound for Newport. She is a traditionaly operated sail training ship dedicated to making square-rig sailing voyages around the world. As a trining ship all on board work, stand watch and learn the way of a tall ship. Workshops are conducted in rigging, sail making, boat handling, navigation, and practical seamanship.
The seals enjoyed the Tall ship show too (except for the one that is sleeping) I know you usually think of seals off the California coast but, they visit us here in Narragansett Bay also.
When I was younger and working the Great South Bay of Long Island, New York for clams I would hear of some commercial fishing men packing up their entire families and leaving for the South and the lucrative shrimping trade.
That was the time when shrimp were running about $6 a pound (about 20 shrimp with their heads cut off to a pound) and buyers were running from boat to boat with $ 50,000 cash money. Those days have long gone and shrimpers now face declinning stocks, tightning government regulations, and increasing foreign competition.
Conditions can vary out there on the ocean from thick fog to
Pretty hairy. This skipper is running with his outriggers as far down as he can without catching a wave for the increased stability that this mode of sail offers.
An excellent article on the current state of shrimping was recently written by Robb White and published in the May/June 2004 edition of Wooden Boat magazine. I used many of the shrimp boat photos in that article as reference material for this show.
I'll leave you with this peacful evening at Sakonnet Point, RI
